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The Privacy Suite

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The Firefox Privacy Suite

The Problem with Privacy “Hardening”

If you’ve ever tried to “harden” Firefox using some of the famous online guides, you probably know the feeling of frustration that follows. You apply 500 lines of user.js code, and suddenly:

  • Your bank’s login page refuses to load.
  • Your webcam doesn’t work for Zoom calls.
  • Websites think you’re in a different timezone.
  • Every page has weird gray bars around it (Letterboxing).

Most hardening scripts are built for “Fortress Mode”—maximum security at the cost of your sanity. But for those of us who need to actually use the internet for work and life, we need a better way.

Introducing the Firefox Privacy Suite

I’ve developed two specialized scripts to solve this. Instead of a “one-size-fits-all” approach, I’ve split the hardening into two distinct philosophies: The Scalpel (Lite) and The Sledgehammer (Extreme).

View the Repository on GitHub

1. The Lite Version: Privacy Without the Headache

The firefox-lite-harden.sh script is designed to be your “Daily Driver.” It’s built on a simple rule: Don’t break the internet.

  • Who it’s for: People who want to stop being tracked by Mozilla and advertisers but still need to use Banking, Netflix, and Video Calls.
  • What it does: Kills all telemetry, removes Pocket and “Sponsored Shortcuts,” and enables HTTPS-only mode.
  • The Best Part: It leaves WebRTC and DRM alone, so your work calls and streaming services just work.

2. The Extreme Version: The Fortress Mode

The firefox-harden.sh script is for when you need to disappear. It turns standard Firefox into a privacy-focused machine on par with LibreWolf.

  • Who it’s for: Privacy enthusiasts, journalists, and anyone using a VPN who cannot afford a single IP leak.
  • What it does: Enables Resist Fingerprinting (RFP), disables WebRTC (to prevent IP leaks), and wipes every trace of your history the second you close the window.
  • The Trade-off: Websites will see you as a generic user in the UTC timezone. It’s the “face in the crowd” approach to anonymity.

How it Works (The Technical Bit)

Both scripts work by injecting a custom user.js into your Firefox profile. This is the most robust way to manage settings because it overrides the standard about:config every time Firefox starts.

Even better, both scripts automatically detect if you are using a Native install, a Flatpak, or a Snap, making them compatible with almost any Linux distro (Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, etc.).

Getting Started

You can apply these settings in seconds using the one-liners below:

Apply Lite (Balanced):

Bash

wget -qO- https://github.com/waelisa/Firefox-harden/raw/refs/heads/main/firefox-lite-harden.sh | bash

Apply Extreme (Fortress):

Bash

wget -qO- https://github.com/waelisa/Firefox-harden/raw/refs/heads/main/firefox-harden.sh | bash

Final Thoughts

Privacy shouldn’t be a chore. By using a “Lite” profile for your daily life and an “Extreme” profile for your private browsing, you get the best of both worlds.

Which level of privacy do you prefer for your daily browsing? Let me know in the comments!

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